BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Sixty-two outstanding high school anglers from across the country have been named to the 2019 Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors. The students were selected for the honor based on their success in bass tournament competition, academic achievement and leadership in conservation and community service.
“The Bassmaster High School All-American program recognizes the best young anglers in the nation,” said Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO. “These student athletes are at the top of our sport both with their tournament success and academic achievements. We are proud to honor their accomplishments on a national level.”
To be considered for the All-State Fishing Team, a student must have been nominated by a parent, coach, teacher or other school official. Students currently enrolled in grades 10-12 with a current-year grade point average of 2.5 or higher were eligible.
B.A.S.S. received more than 400 nominations from across the nation. From these, judges selected 62 student anglers from 35 states to make the All-State Fishing Team. In addition, 32 students received Honorable Mentions recognizing them for their tournament success as well as community service and academic achievement.
“These qualifiers are helping shape the future of our sport,” said Hank Weldon, senior manager of the B.A.S.S. High School program. “Their enthusiasm for sportfishing and their communities is exceptional, and we can only imagine what the future holds for these anglers.
“We are extremely proud to see our Bassmaster All-American program flourish, and we congratulate these student anglers on their success on and off the water.”
A second panel of judges will review nominations of the 62 All-State team members and select the 12 members of the 2019 Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors. As in All-State judging, criteria include success in high school fishing tournaments, involvement in conservation efforts and other community service activities.
The 12 finalists will compete in a one-day Bassmaster All-American High School Bass Tournament held during the 2019 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department event, a fan-favorite festival that will take place May 2-6 on Lake Fork out of Emory, Texas.
Elite Series anglers will serve as teammates and “coaches” of the student anglers in the tournament. The high school standouts will be honored on the main Texas Fest stage at the weigh-in. Below is the list of the 62 All-State anglers and 32 Honorable Mentions, in order by state:
Alabama
Wesley Gore, Jemison
Tucker Smith, Shoal Creek
Grayson Morris, Birmingham — Honorable Mention
Arizona
Bryce Drake, Yuma
Isaiah Rios, Phoenix
Taj White, Glendale — Honorable Mention
Nicklaus Romero, Prescott — Honorable Mention
Arkansas
Bryce Lane, Rogers
Brody Jacks, Benton
Bryson Kindy, Benton — Honorable Mention
Jay Morgan, Trumann — Honorable Mention
California
Miles Kaneko, Berkeley
Samuel West, Fort Bragg
Colorado
Colton Colwell, Windsor
Jack Harpole, Littleton
Connecticut
William Hinckley, North Branford
Florida
Dylan Westhelle, Sanford
Jackson Swisher, Lake City
Garrett Thomas, Mulberry — Honorable Mention
Chase Givens, Dover — Honorable Mention
Georgia
Brooks Anderson, Marietta
Parker Guy, Ocilla
Tanner Hadden, Evans — Honorable Mention
Logan Plueger, Grovetown — Honorable Mention
Idaho
Nathanial Kimberling, Coeur d'Alene
Eyston Kunz, Meridian
Illinois
Wyatt Pazdro, Minooka
Garrett Beatty, Sandwich
Indiana
Carter Ball, Noblesville
Colsyn Head, Poland
Scott Sledge, Greenwood — Honorable Mention
Jack Schable, La Porte — Honorable Mention
Iowa
Samuel Louw, Story City
Kansas
Brett Halstead, Riley
Brock Bila, Louisburg
Kyle Simmons, Leonardville — Honorable Mention
Parker Still, Topeka — Honorable Mention
Kentucky
William Carnes, Stanford
Hannah Wesley, Junction City
Jacob Autry, Beaver Dam — Honorable Mention
Jake Thornbury, Finchville — Honorable Mention
Louisiana
Wes Rollo, Natchitoches
Bryant Martin, Crowley
Maine
Tyler Williams, Belgrade
Massachusetts
Nathan Smith, Uxbridge
Michigan
Nicolas Biundo, Wyandotte
Hayden Scott, Ann Arbor
Brady Stuart, Wyandotte — Honorable Mention
Minnesota
Kobie Koenig, Cohasset
Patrick McMurry, Lakeville
Ethan Vanden Busch, Lakeville — Honorable Mention
Mississippi
Dalton Smith, Brandon
James Willoughby, Gulfport
Garrett McWilliams, Florence — Honorable Mention
Tony Edwards, Tremont — Honorable Mention
Missouri
Devon Rathbun, Springfield
Zak Hobbs, Imperial
Caleb Haines, Springfield — Honorable Mention
Nebraska
Colton Kelle, Beatrice
New Hampshire
Logan Berube, Hampstead
New York
Alex Gauld, Tonawanda
Garrett Lawton, Pulaski
North Carolina
Caz Anderson, Hayesville
Brycen Hendriks, Durham — Honorable Mention
Kyle Dillon, Durham — Honorable Mention
Ohio
Luke Haymaker, Canal Fulton
Kobe Thompson, Crooksville
Oklahoma
Charles Williams, Mannford
Dakota Page, Catoosa
Quinton Story, Henryetta — Honorable Mention
Oregon
Michael Postlewait, Astoria
Pennsylvania
Austin Aikins, Lower Burrell
Dylan Fogarty, Mechanicsburg
South Carolina
Jacob Butts, Starr
Jack Hunt, Townville
Timothy McKenzie, Georgetown — Honorable Mention
Tennessee
Seth Moser, Maryville
Austin Smith, Jacksboro
Jackson Holbert, Decaturville — Honorable Mention
Joshua Lee, Knoxville — Honorable Mention
Hayden Gaddis, Seymour — Honorable Mention
Texas
Hunter Muncrief, Pineland
Cason Ragsdale, Winnsboro
Ben Cully, Rockwall — Honorable Mention
Gabriel Talley, Conroe — Honorable Mention
Braden Clifton, Livingston — Honorable Mention
Virginia
Colin Bennett, Axton
Jacob Lovell, Stuart
West Virginia
Dylan Fitzgerald, Charleston
Trevor Albanese, Berkeley Springs
Sam Ambrose, Berkeley Springs — Honorable Mention
Wisconsin
Tyler Cory, Amherst
Casey Hoffman, New London
Jacob Bigelow, Cecil — Honorable Mention